Fersfield

Military site : airfield

Aerial photograph of the west end of Fersfield (Winfarthing) airfield, looking north, the bomb dump is at the top, the technical site- with T2 hangar- at the bottom, 29 August 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1707. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Aerial photograph of the east end of Fersfield (Winfarthing) airfield, looking north, the technical site- with T2 hangar- is bottom left, 29 August 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1707. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

B-17F-85-BO 42-30066 taken at Fersfield after removal of all armament, etc. Note that the name "MUGWUMP" has been painted over on the nose and the dark square on the fin hiding previous unit marking. The plane still carries the individual code X. The antennas for receiving signals from the mother-plane have not yet been installed. The photo was taken just before the mission to Heligoland. Photo USAF.

Photo of B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3438 taken in England before the final mission on October 30, when the plane crashed into the sea. The smoke-tank can be seen below the fuselage and you can also see how the fin and top side of the plane has been painted yellow (the drones had previously been painted white) for better visibility from the control plane. Photo USAF.

An Aphrodite assault drone at takeoff from a relatively remote air­field in Nor­folk, Eng­land. The drone carried a payload of 30,000 lb of Tor­pex, an explo­sive that was 50 per­cent more power­ful than TNT by mass. Drones required a pilot and a co-pilot because the remote control system was insufficient for safe takeoff.
NARA Ref partial 60799AC.

Originally named Winfarthing when the site was allocated to the Eighth Air Force in 1942, it was renamed Fersfield when built for the Eighth Air Force 1943-44. USAAF and US Navy projects 'Aphrodite' 'Batty' and 'Anvil' (attempts to develop and use radio-controlled aircraft as precision weapons) were launched from the airfield in 1944, one of which resulted in the death of Lt Joseph Kennedy, elder brother of future US President John F Kennedy. The airfield was closed in 1946, and it has since been since returned to agriculture.

Detailed history

Not yet known

English Heritage's record description

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Service

Units

GroupThe 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...

Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 388th Bomb GroupAssigned 8th AF June '44 - Dec. '44. Ours was a replacement crew - completed tour of combat. Arrived England about time of D-Day and back in states for Christmas. As a lead crew, think tour was 32 missions.
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B-17 Flying FortressNamed Tom Paine after a famous soldier who served in the American Army during the War of Independence after the airmen of the 562nd after they found out that he had been born in the nearby town of Thetford. Was chosen to promote Anglo-American co...